Dough compositions having a moisture barrier, and related methods

ABSTRACT

Described are dough products that contain a hydrogel coating, wherein the hydrogel coating contains a hydrophilic colloid, oil, plasticizer, and water, and functions as a moisture barrier.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention involves dough products that include a dough compositionhaving a moisture barrier at a surface.

BACKGROUND

Consumers have many set expectations of how food products will appearand taste upon baking. These consumers make choices based on factorssuch as the final texture, taste, color, and overall appearance of acooked product. Baked dough products in particular are expected toexhibit distinct aesthetics, such as a crust color that is a desiredshade and darkness, a desired shape, and a crust that does not containexcessive surface defects such as cracking, flaking, shredding, tearing,etc. An excessively dark, light, or off-color (e.g., grayish instead ofbrownish) crust may look unappealing, as may a misshapen dough productor a baked dough product having a crust that includes excessivecracking, tearing, shredding, flaking, etc.

Producers of commercial dough products continuously research doughformulations and preparation methods to find new, economical doughformulations and methods that result in dough products that can be bakedto exhibit desired aesthetics. Just one example of a manner by whichdesired exterior (crust) properties can be modified, is to place anedible coating or film at a dough surface, which produces a desiredresult upon baking, such as a desired color or sheen.

Of course, other considerations are involved in the overall quality anddesirability of a commercial dough product. A dough product must alsohave organoleptic (taste, smell, and texture) properties that willplease the consumer. And product features such as storage stability andconvenience of use are also favored. Many dough products today aredesigned to retain sufficient freshness to be baked following extendedperiods of refrigerated or frozen storage. Dough products that can insome instances be particularly desirable for dough manufactures andconsumers alike include dough products that can be frozen and storedwithout first requiring a proofing step, and that can be baked fromfrozen without thawing or without proofing between the freezer and oven.

SUMMARY

The invention relates to dough compositions that include a moisturebarrier at least over a portion of the surface of the dough. Themoisture barrier has water-retaining capabilities that allow themoisture barrier to retain moisture (water) at temperatures experiencedduring a baking cycle. The moisture barrier at a surface of the doughcomposition causes the dough to also retain moisture during baking,while the dough expands during baking. The baked dough composition,because of the moisture retained at the dough surface during baking,exhibits improved features such as one or more of reduced surfacedefects (e.g., surface cracking, tearing, flaking, shredding, etc.),desired color (e.g., a desirable shade of brown and reduced gray), ahigher baked volume, or a higher baked specific volume.

With regard to baked volume, a baked dough product of the invention,including a moisture barrier, can in certain embodiments bake to alarger volume compared to a dough that does not include the moisturebarrier. At the same time, however, a baked dough product of theinvention may or may not exhibit a higher baked specific volume. Amoisture barrier can cause a dough piece, during baking, to retain morewater compared to a dough piece without the moisture barrier. When thisoccurs, a dough product that exhibits an increase in baked volume maynot necessarily also exhibit an increase in baked specific volume,because the baked dough can contain more water and have a greater mass,even if larger in volume. According to certain embodiments of bakeddough products (e.g., refrigerated baked goods) a baked dough piece mayexhibit an increased volume (relative to the same dough piece that doesnot include a moisture barrier) and also an increase in baked specificvolume. In other embodiments (e.g., laminated dough pieces such ascroissants) a moisture barrier may result in an increase in baked volumewithout an increase in baked specific volume (or possibly even with adecrease in baked specific volume).

In particular, a moisture barrier can be especially useful if themoisture barrier has particularly good water-retention properties,allowing the moisture barrier to retain moisture well into a bakingcycle. Flexibility of a moisture barrier, which can result fromwater-retention, can also be important during baking. A water-retainingmoisture barrier that remains flexible during a baking cycle can beparticularly useful because a flexible moisture barrier material canexpand along with the expansion that occurs with leavening of a doughcomposition during baking. Loss of flexibility too early during a bakingcycle (e.g., during expansion of the dough piece) can result in amoisture barrier structure that is unduly rigid and that may causecracking, shredding, flaking, or tearing of a dough surface, arestricted degree of expansion possibly resulting in a reduced bakedvolume or reduced baked specific volume, or both. A non-rigid, hydratedand flexible moisture barrier that expands during baking along with adough composition, e.g., through maximum expansion, allows forcontinuous coverage of a dough surface by the moisture barrier. Coverageof a dough surface by a flexible and hydrated moisture barrier, duringexpansion of the dough product while baking, will cause the doughsurface to also retain moisture. A moisture barrier can be considered tobe hydrated as long as the moisture barrier material includes an amountof water that provides the moisture barrier with sufficient flexibilityto expand along with an expanding dough product, and to retain moistureat a dough surface. Overall, the retained moisture at the dough surface,present due to the hydrated moisture barrier, can reduce the amount ofcracking, shredding, flaking, or tearing, etc., that would otherwiseresult if the dough surface became dehydrated as the dough expandsduring baking, and can also increase the amount of total expansion toproduce a higher baked volume.

Related to color, surface texture, and volume effects, of a dough piecethat includes a moisture barrier according to the invention, a doughpiece that includes a moisture barrier can exhibit such effectsfollowing extended periods of storage, e.g., refrigerated or frozenstorage. Thus, the moisture barrier can allow a dough product to remainfresh through longer refrigerated or frozen storage periods, orincreased amounts of temperature cycling such as freezing and thawing,while still exhibiting desired properties of color, surface texture, andbaked volume. As one example, certain dough products according to theinvention that include a moisture barrier can be subjected to multiplefreeze-thaw cycles (e.g., 14 or more cycles between 0 degrees and 20degrees Fahrenheit), following which the inventive dough product canexhibit overall appearance that is better than an identical doughproduct that does not include the moisture barrier—e.g., the dough piecethat includes the moisture barrier can exhibit a color that is adesirable shade of brown, with less grayness compared to an otherwisesimilar dough piece that does not include the moisture barrier.

Certain specific embodiments of moisture barriers of the inventionexhibit particularly useful moisture-retaining capabilities,flexibility, and aesthetic properties following baking. Embodiments ofmoisture barriers of the invention are formulated to remain hydrated andflexible through a portion of a baking cycle during which a doughproduct expands. Such a moisture barrier may remain flexible andhydrated through a portion of a baking cycle during which a dough pieceexpands (leavens) to a maximum volume, before the moisture barrierbecomes dehydrated (dry) and rigid or inflexible. During the portion ofthe baking cycle at which the moisture barrier remains hydrated, themoisture barrier expands with the expanding dough product and causesmoisture to remain at a surface of the dough piece, thereby improvingthe flexibility of the dough surface during baking and allowing thedough surface to stretch and expand with reduced cracking, flaking,shredding, tearing, etc. After the dough product has finished expanding,the flexibility and moisture-retaining properties of the moisturebarrier are no longer important modes of preventing cracking or tearing,etc., at a dough surface, and the moisture barrier may at that time beallowed to lose any remaining amount of water present in the moisturebarrier, after which only edible solids are left at the dough surface.

Embodiments of dough products of the invention include unbaked orpartially-baked (raw) dough pieces, typically of a desired shape andsize, that have at least a portion of a surface that includes a moisturebarrier as described herein. Optionally, substantially all of an uppersurface of a dough piece may include a moisture barrier, or an entiredough piece surface may be completely covered by a moisture barrier.

Embodiments of useful moisture barriers can include a combination ofingredients that include a hydrocolloid and other ingredients thattogether result in desired moisture-retaining properties and flexibilityduring baking, as described. In specific, an example of such a moisturebarrier can include a hydrogel, e.g., prepared from a hydrocolloid andother ingredients such as plasticizer, a liquid or solid (e.g., plastic)oil (fat), optional starch, and water. Certain specific hydrocolloidshave been found to be effective in preparing a hydrogel that exhibitsmoisture-retaining properties and flexibility as described, e.g., whichresult in one or more of reduced cracking, tearing, shredding, etc., ofa dough surface upon baking; desired coloration of a baked dough surface(e.g., desired browning and reduced graying); and an increase in bakedvolume, water retention, or both. For example, the hydrocolloid agar hasbeen found to be useful in preparing a hydrogel moisture barrier of theinvention, as have other hydrocolloid materials such as locust bean gum,carrageenan, as well as mixtures of such hydrocolloids, e.g., mixturesof agar and locust bean gum and mixtures of agar, locust bean gum, andcarrageenan.

Certain exemplary moisture barriers can take the form of an emulsion,e.g., an oil-in-water emulsion, wherein one phase is a hydrogel andanother phase is an oil. Such an emulsion may be, for example, anoil-in-water emulsion that includes useful amounts of ingredients asdescribed, e.g., from about 0.1 to about 1.5 or 2 weight percenthydrocolloid, from 0.5 to 20 weight percent plasticizer, from about 1 toabout 20 weight percent oil, from 0.2 to 2 weight percent starch, andfrom about 55 to about 95 weight percent water.

According to certain specific embodiments of the invention, neither ahydrocolloid nor a moisture barrier needs to contain any protein (e.g.,a hydrocolloid protein), and moisture barriers and hydrocolloidsaccording to the invention may specifically exclude proteins. Accordingto other embodiments, the moisture barrier can include hydrocolloid thatconsists of or consists essentially of agar; a combination of agar andlocust bean gum; or a combination of agar, locust bean gum, andcarrageenan.

The dough composition itself can be any dough composition, of any usefulformulation, as desired and as benefits from the use of a moisturebarrier as described, which may normally mean that the dough is storedat refrigerated or frozen conditions as a dough that has not been fullybaked such that the dough experiences an amount of expansion duringbaking. For example, a useful dough composition may be an un-proofed orpartially proofed, refrigerator or freezer-stable raw dough that expands(i.e., leavens) during baking by one or more of the effects of:entrapped gas such as bubbles or cells that contain entrapped carbondioxide, entrapped oxygen, or both; a laminated dough structure; byaction of chemical leavening agents, or by action of a biologicalleavening agent such as a yeast. The dough may alternately be partiallyproofed, or partially baked. For use according to the presentdescription, an unproofed dough composition can be a dough compositionthat has not undergone any processing step that is designed to or thathas allowed the volume of the dough to increase by more than 25 percent;e.g., an unproofed dough can be considered to have a raw specific volumein the range from 0.9 to 1.2 cubic centimeters per gram (cc/g). Apartially-proofed dough can be considered to have a raw specific volumeof from 1.2 to 1.9 cc/g. A pre-proofed dough can be considered to have araw specific volume of greater than 1.9 cc/g.

According to particular embodiments, a dough product that includes amoisture barrier as described can be “freezer-to-oven” dough productthat can be stored frozen in an un-proofed or partially-proofed state,and that can be placed frozen into an oven for baking to a useful bakedvolume, without a thawing or proofing step.

An example of a dough product of the invention can include a laminateddough product such as a croissant that includes a hydrogel coating as amoisture barrier. Normal dough products (e.g., croissants) that do notinclude a moisture barrier as described herein, can experience rapidsurface dehydration during baking. Such rapid dehydration can result inundesirable effects at the surface during baking, such as tearing,shredding, flaking, or cracking, as well as undesirable color. Amoisture barrier according to the invention can retain moisture at thedough surface during baking to inhibit such effects of dehydration. Themoisture barrier, which can be in the form of a hydrogel solid at roomtemperature or refrigerated or frozen temperatures, can also function tomaintain separation of packaged dough surfaces during refrigerated orfrozen storage.

An aspect of the invention relates to a dough piece that includes adough composition and a moisture barrier at a surface of the doughcomposition. The moisture barrier includes a hydrogel that exhibitshysteresis between a melting temperature and a setting temperature.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a dough piece that includes adough composition and moisture barrier at a surface of the dough piece.The moisture barrier contains a hydrogel. The dough piece is capable ofbeing baked with the moisture barrier remaining hydrated during bakingat least until the dough piece achieves a maximum volume.

Yet another aspect of the invention relates to a method of preparing adough composition. The method includes providing a dough piece; applyinga moisture barrier to a surface of the dough piece; the moisture barriercomprising a hydrogel that includes hydrocolloid and water; and bakingthe dough piece to cause the dough piece to expand, wherein the moisturebarrier remains hydrated during baking at least until the dough pieceachieves a maximum volume during baking.

Yet another aspect of the invention relates to an edible moisturebarrier composition that includes from 0.1 to 2.5 weight percenthydrocolloid selected from the group consisting of: agar and locust beangum; and agar, locust bean gum, and carrageenan, from 2 to 20 weightpercent plasticizer, from 0.2 to 2 weight percent starch, from 1 to 20weight percent oil, and from 55 to 95 weight percent water.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A dough piece of the invention includes a moisture barrier at a surfaceof the dough piece, e.g., in the form of an edible film or coating thatretains water and flexibility during baking. For example, a moisturebarrier according to the invention can be formulated to remain hydratedand flexible through a portion of a baking cycle during which a doughproduct expands (i.e., leavens). Desirably, a moisture barrier of theinvention may remain flexible and hydrated through a portion of a bakingcycle during which a dough piece achieves maximum expansion (e.g.,maximum volume), before the moisture barrier becomes dehydrated. Whilebaking, a moisture barrier that remains hydrated and flexible can expandalong with the expanding dough product, and can thereby cause moistureto remain at a surface of the dough piece to improve the flexibility ofthe dough surface during baking and allow the dough surface to stretchand expand with reduced cracking, tearing, flaking, etc., any of whichcan occur if a dough surface becomes dehydrated during expansion whilebaking. After a dough product has finished expanding, the flexibilityand moisture-retaining properties of the moisture barrier are no longerimportant to retain moisture at a dough surface, and the moisturebarrier may at that time be allowed to lose any remaining amount ofwater present in the moisture barrier, after which only an inflexibleand rigid layer of edible solids is left at the dough surface.

The moisture barrier can be prepared from ingredients that include ahydrocolloid, and may include a composition known as a “hydrogel.” Ahydrogel can be considered to be a composition that includes a polymer(a “hydrocolloid”) that is capable of containing a large amount ofwater—the hydrocolloid polymer exhibits a high capacity to retain water.Many hydrocolloid polymers include hydrophilic groups such as hydroxyl(OH) and carboxy (COOH) groups, which increase the ability of thosepolymers to associate with and retain water. A hydrogel, thus, can takethe form of a relatively stiff, high-water-content “gel” that includesthe hydrocolloid polymer and a relatively large amount of associatedwater.

Hydrogel systems can also take the form of a more fluid, relativelylower viscosity, non-gelled, liquid, often referred to as a “sol” form.Such hydrogels may be “reversible” or “thermoreversible” meaning that ahydrogel can be capable of being reversibly transformed from a “gel” or“hydrogel” state, to a liquid or “sol” state, based on temperature,e.g., converted between a hydrogel and a sol by cooling and heating. Atreduced temperature, a reversible hydrogel takes the form of arelatively stiff, hydrated and flexible gel or hydrogel. When heated,the hydrogel system becomes a free-flowing liquid. If cooled again, thefree-flowing liquid form of the hydrogel re-forms as a gel.

Functionally speaking, hydrogel materials have been found to be usefulas moisture barriers, in that hydrogel materials can be capable ofretaining moisture and flexibility during baking, e.g., during a portionof a baking cycle wherein a dough composition experiences expansion(leavening). A dough piece that includes a surface that includes ahydrogel moisture barrier can be baked, with the moisture barrierremaining hydrated during baking, e.g., until the dough piece achieves amaximum baked volume. The result can be that the dough surface does notbecome dehydrated during baking, e.g., during expansion, and the doughsurface can therefore experience a reduced amount of cracking, tearing,shredding, etc.

In a general sense, the invention takes advantage of a moisture barrierin terms of water-retaining capacity during baking, i.e.,water-retaining capacity at relatively high temperatures such as thoseexperienced by a moisture barrier during baking (e.g., from 200 F to 450F, or from 325 F to 400 F, when baked at an oven set temperature withinsuch ranges). Accordingly, moisture barriers such as hydrogel materialsthat will be considered to be particularly useful according to theinvention will include materials that exhibit relatively highwater-retaining properties at elevated temperatures such as thoseexperienced during baking. By binding to water at such elevatedtemperatures, a moisture barrier can retain moisture and flexibilitywell into a baking cycle, e.g., at least through a portion of a bakingcycle during which a dough composition experiences expansion in volume,e.g., to level of maximum expansion or maximum dough volume.

According to specific embodiments, hydrogels that have been found toexhibit desired water-retention properties during baking may exhibithysteresis between a setting temperature and a melting temperature. Forpurposes of the present description and claims, a hydrogel can beconsidered to exhibit hysteresis if the melting temperature and settingtemperature are different by at least 3 degrees Fahrenheit, e.g., atleast 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Specific examples of hydrocolloids thatexhibit hysteresis include agar, kappa carrageenan, iota carageenan, andfurcellaran. These hydrocolloids can be used to produce hydrogels thatexhibit a difference in setting and melting temperature of from 40 to 60degrees Celsius (agar), from 15 to 27 degrees Celsius (kappa carrageenanand furcellaran), and from 2 to 5 degrees Celsius (iota carrageenan).

A setting temperature of a hydrogel can be considered to be atemperature at which a hydrogel in a sol form transforms to a gel as thetemperature of the sol is reduced. A melting temperature can beconsidered to be a temperature at which a hydrogel is considered totransform from a gel to a liquid sol as the gel is heated. According tothe invention, a hydrogel that exhibits such a hysteresis between asetting temperature and a melting temperature can be useful as amoisture barrier that can bind water at baking temperatures, allowingthe barrier material to function well as a moisture barrier for a doughpiece as described herein.

The degree of hysteresis can be any degree that is associated with ahydrogel that provides useful moisture barrier properties, e.g., atemperature difference of at least 3 degrees Fahrenheit. For example, ahydrogel in the form of a hydrocolloid in water, containing a relativelylow concentration of hydrocolloid (e.g., 1.5 percent hydrocolloid byweight), may exhibit a difference between setting temperature andmelting temperature that is at least 10, 20, or 30 degrees Fahrenheit,e.g., greater than 40 or 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Each of the settingtemperature and melting temperature is an understood property of ahydrogel, and each can be determined using a variety of testing methodsthat measure the rheological properties of the hydrogel directly. Anexample of a useful measurement can be made using a controlled strainrheometer such as the Advanced Rheometrics Expansion System (ARES),which is capable of measuring storage modulus, loss modulus, and shearmodulus, complex viscosity, and normal force, over a temperature range.The melting and setting temperatures can also be determined through theuse of dynamic scanning calorimetry (DSC), which measures the thermaltransitions of polymer systems.

According to certain specific embodiments of hydrogels, a hydrogel canalso exhibit a relatively high melting temperature, e.g., a meltingtemperature that a moisture barrier will experience during baking, e.g.,during an early portion of a baking cycle, such as a melting temperatureof at least 140 F, or from 150 to 190 F.

As a specific example of a particular hydrocolloid that can be used toprepare a hydrogel that exhibits hysteresis as described, a hydrogel ofagar (e.g., 1.5 percent by weight) can exhibit a setting temperature ofabout 95 degrees Fahrenheit when cooled from a sol, and a meltingtemperature of about 185 degrees Fahrenheit when heated from a gel. Thesol form of a hydrogel that contains agar (optionally with otherhydrocolloids) can exhibit very good water-binding capacity at bakingtemperatures, thereby resulting in desired water-retaining propertiesduring baking, when used as a moisture barrier for a dough piece asdescribed herein, such as retained flexibility and good ability toretain moisture at a surface of a dough piece.

A moisture barrier can be useful if the moisture barrier can be appliedto a dough surface by normal processing techniques; can adhere to thesurface during processing, storage (e.g., refrigerated storage or frozenstorage) and baking; can form an edible film, coating, or layerfollowing baking; in addition to retaining moisture and remainingflexible during baking. Useful moisture barriers thus may be capable ofassuming a liquid state that can be used to form a coating or film on adough surface of a desired thickness to act as a moisture barrier duringbaking; should be prepared from food ingredients or ingredients that aresuitable for ingestion, i.e., edible; and should be capable ofexhibiting useful rheology and adhesion properties to be capable ofadhering to a surface of a dough composition with sufficient adhesiveand cohesive properties to allow processing such as packaging,transportation, and storage, without being unduly damaged or removedfrom the dough surface.

The moisture barrier can be prepared from ingredients that are capableof providing desired properties and function of a moisture barrier, asdescribed. A useful ingredient includes a hydrocolloid polymer, which isa polymer that can retain a high amount of water. A hydrocolloid polymercan be a hydrophilic polymer derived from vegetable, animal, microbial,or synthetic origin; a derivative of such a polymer; or another naturalor synthetic polymer; that may contain hydroxyl groups or carboxy groupsthat can become associated with water molecules. Examples of widely usedhydrocolloids include starches, modified celluloses, alginate,carrageenan (e.g., in salt form), various tree extrudates (gums such aslocust bean gum), agar, pectin, and derivatives of these polymers andsynthetic polymers having similar water-retaining capabilities.

According to the invention, a hydrocolloid that has been found to beparticularly useful is agar, which is a common natural hydrocolloidderived from seaweed, and which can exhibit a difference in melting andsetting temperature (hysteresis) of about 75 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit(40 to 60 C). E.g., a hydrogel containing 1.5 weight percent agar inwater can exhibit a setting temperature of about 86 to 95° F., and amelting temperature of about 185° F. Particular useful moisture barriershave been prepared to include hydrogels made of agar; agar and locustbean gum; and agar, locust bean gum, and carrageenan (in salt form).

Other hydrocolloids that may be useful in a moisture barrier of theinvention, e.g., in combination with agar, may include other naturalgums such as xanthan gum, tragacanth, guar gum, algin, alginate,gelatin, Irish moss, pectin, gum arabic, gum ghatti, gum karaya, andplant hemicelluloses, e.g., corn hull gum. Still other hydrocolloidsthat may be useful in a moisture barrier of the invention, e.g., incombination with agar, may include polysaccharides andchemically-modified polysaccharides such as a modified celluloseprepared by partial hydrolysis of natural cellulose and subsequentchemical modification by etherification, carboxymethylation, or asimilar reaction. Specific examples of chemically-modifiedpolysaccharides useful in the present invention include methylcellulose,ethylcellulose, methyl ethyl cellulose, 2-hydroxyethyl ethylcellulose,2-hydroxyethyl methylcellulose, 2-hydroxypropylcellulose,2-hydroxypropymethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, and similarsynthetic cellulose ethers. Other suitable chemically-modifiedpolysaccharides include such ionic alkylcellulose ethers ascarboxymethyl cellulose, carboxymethyl ethyl cellulose, carboxymethylhydroxyethyl cellulose, and their water-soluble salts. The term“chemically-modified polysaccharide” as used herein also refers tosemi-synthetic hydrocolloids such as hydroxypropyl alginates andhydroxypropyl starch.

A hydrocolloid may be present in a hydrogel or moisture barrier in anyuseful amount, e.g., an amount to provide desired moisture-retention andflexibility during a useful portion of a baking cycle, e.g., a portionof a baking cycle during which a dough piece experiences expansion.Useful amounts of hydrocolloid can depend on various factors such as thetype of hydrocolloid or hydrocolloids being used; the temperatureexperienced during baking; coating thickness; amounts of otheringredients in a moisture barrier or hydrogel such as plasticizers orwater; the degree of expansion that the dough piece desirablyexperiences during baking (e.g., in terms of initial volume and finalbaked volume); the type of dough product that includes the moisturebarrier; and the surface properties of the raw and baked dough productsuch as the degree of tolerance for surface cracking or flaking, anddesired coloration upon baking. Specific examples of total amounts ofhydrocolloid (single polymers or mixtures or two or more hydrocolloidpolymers) that can be used in a hydrogel or moisture barrier can includeamounts up to two percent hydrocolloid by weight, e.g., from 0.1 to 1.5weight percent hydrocolloid based on the total weight of a moisturebarrier or a hydrogel composition, e.g., from 0.4 to 1 weight percenthydrocolloid based on the total weight of a moisture barrier or ahydrogel composition.

Specific examples of useful hydrocolloid polymers in a moisture barrier(e.g., in a hydrogel) may include a mixture of agar and locust bean gumin relative amounts by weight of agar:locust bean gum, in the range from90:10 to 10:90; e.g., from 25:75 to 75:25; or from 40:60-60:40.According to other exemplary moisture barriers, carrageenan may beincluded in any useful amount relative to other hydrocolloids, such asan amount in the range from about 1 to 25 weight percent carrageenanbased on the weight of all hydrocolloid polymers (e.g., agar, locustbean gum, and carrageenan), e.g., from 4 to 10 weight percentcarrageenan based on total weight hydrocolloid.

A moisture barrier may include other ingredients, such as a plasticizer,which can be used to increase flexibility of a moisture barrier atbaking temperatures. A plasticizer may be a material that acts as asolute for water in a moisture barrier, and thereby competes for waterwith the hydrocolloid. The plasticizer can thereby cause an effectiveincrease in the concentration of a hydrocolloid, because theplasticizer, by absorbing or associating with water, can cause ahydrocolloid to behave as if the amount of hydrocolloid to water (andtherefore the effective concentration of hydrocolloid) were higher. Aplasticizer may also impart desirable taste, aroma, or aesthetics, suchas a sweet flavor or a glossy appearance or shine. A useful plasticizercan be any material that provides useful flexibility of a moisturebarrier, and can include polymeric or alcohol compounds such as sugars,sugar solutions, sugar alcohols, mono- or poly-saccharides (e.g.,glycerol), corn syrup, propylene glycol, maltilol, dextrose, sucrose,and hydrogenated starch hydrolysate (HSH) syrups. Sugars such as sucroseand dextrose, as well as glycerol, can provide desired color (browning)upon baking.

A plasticizer may be used in any useful amount, e.g., to improveflexibility of the moisture barrier during baking or to affect flavor orcolor. The amount of plasticizer used in any particular moisture barriercan be an amount useful to provide desired properties of a moisturebarrier as described herein, and can depend on various factors such asthe types and amounts of other materials of the moisture barrier (e.g.,hydrocolloid); the temperature experienced during baking; coatingthickness; the degree of expansion that the dough piece desirablyexperiences during baking; the type of dough product; and the surfaceproperties of the unbaked and baked dough product. Examples of usefulamounts of plasticizer include amounts in the range of from 0.5 to 20weight percent plasticizer based on total weight of a moisture barriercomposition, e.g., from 4 to 8 weight percent plasticizer based on totalweight moisture barrier.

A moisture barrier can include an oil (fat), which may be either solidor liquid at room temperature. An oil may be included to provide desiredproperties as described herein, including flexibility, water-retainingcapabilities, flavor, color, etc. In particular, an oil may be used toimprove flavor and color of a baked dough product that includes themoisture barrier.

The particular oil included in a moisture barrier may be selected asdesired, e.g., on the basis of convenience, flavor, texture, or color ofa baked product. For example, edible oils suitable for use in thepresent invention include liquid and solid oils such as those derivedfrom animals, nuts, flowers, vegetables, or other plants, e.g., atropical oil, olive oil, canola oil, sunflower seed oil, safflower seedoil, corn oil, peanut oil, walnut oil, soy oil, butter, margarine, etc.Specific examples of a moisture barrier may include oil that is solid atroom temperature, such as butter or margarine, which can provide one ormore of a desired flavor or color of a baked product.

Specific examples of amounts of oil that can be used in a moisturebarrier include amounts in the range of from 1 to 20 weight percent oilbased on total weight of a moisture barrier composition, e.g., from 5 to15 weight percent oil based on total weight moisture barrier.

A moisture barrier can include starch to maintain viscosity attemperatures experienced during baking. Many types of starches are knownin the dough and bread-making arts, which may be useful in a moisturebarrier as described. According to particular examples a starch canexhibit heat and shear stability such that a moisture barrier orhydrogel that contains the starch will not exhibit an undue reduction inviscosity when heated to baking temperatures. Examples of usefulstarches can include corn starches, e.g., heat stable modified cornstarches such as acetylated corn starch, cross-linked corn starch, andthe like. Specific examples of such modified corn starches arecommercially available under the trade names PureGel 980 and Purecote760. The amount of starch used may be a useful amount, e.g., an amountthat will provide desired viscosity. Examples of specific amounts ofstarch that can be used in a moisture barrier include amounts in therange of from 0.2 to 2 weight percent starch based on total weight of amoisture barrier composition, e.g., from 0.5 to 1.5 weight percentstarch based on total weight moisture barrier.

A moisture barrier can also include other useful ingredients such as aliquid ingredient that is or includes water. Water may be present in anamount to provide desired properties of flexibility and moisturecontent, e.g., during baking, to provide a moisture barrier thatimproves moisture retention at a dough surface during baking, asdescribed. Specific examples of useful amounts of water in a moisturebarrier include amounts in the range of from 55 to 95 weight percentwater based on total weight of a moisture barrier composition, e.g.,from 65 to 85 weight water based on total weight moisture barrier.

According to particular embodiments of the invention, a moisture barriercan be in the form of an emulsion, wherein one phase of the emulsion isa hydrogel as described and one phase is an oil. In particularembodiments, the moisture barrier can be an oil-in-water emulsion,wherein a continuous aqueous phase is in the form of a hydrogel thatcontains the hydrocolloid, water, starch, and plasticizer. The oil phaseis discontinuous within the continuous hydrogel phase. An aqueous phasein the form of a hydrogel provides a moisture barrier with a componentthat is a relatively stiff gel at or below room temperature, whichcontributes to adherence of the moisture barrier to a dough compositionsurface during processing and during refrigerated or frozen storage. Athigher temperatures such as those experienced during baking, thehydrogel gradually liquefies but still can adhere to the dough surfaceinstead resist flowing from the dough surface to a degree sufficient toact as an effective moisture barrier. A hydrogel component of a moisturebarrier in the form of an oil-in-water emulsion also contributes towater-retention properties, in that the hydrogel can include a portionof water contained by a hydrocolloid. The hydrogel can continue toretain the water during baking for sufficient time to retain moisture ina dough (e.g., at a dough surface), to prevent the dough (e.g., crust)from becoming dehydrated and cracking tearing, flaking, or otherwisebecoming damaged during expansion of the dough while baking.

The relative amounts of hydrogel phase and oil phase can be as usefuland desired, with specific embodiments of oil-in-water emulsionscontaining an aqueous phase in the form of a hydrogel, and from 0 up toabout 25 percent by weight of a discontinuous oil phase based on thetotal amount of the emulsion. For example, an oil-in-water emulsion maycontain relative amounts of a continuous hydrogel phase to adiscontinuous oil phase within the range from 75:25 to 95:5, e.g., from80:20 to 95:5.

A moisture barrier as described, e.g., containing a hydrogel, optionallyin the form of an oil-in-water emulsion as described, can be prepared bymethods that will be understood by those of skill. For example, ahydrogel can first be prepared by hydrating a hydrocolloid polymer inwater and adding any other desired ingredients such as plasticizer orstarch. An emulsion can be formed by combining this aqueous hydrocolloidwith an oil to form a two-phase emulsion.

To prepare specific embodiments of the invention that include ahydrocolloid with a high gel melting temperature, the hydrocolloidpolymer can be combined with a useful amount of water to hydrate thehydrocolloid polymer, e.g., with heat. As a single example, a hydrogelthat is being prepared to include a mixture of agar and locust bean gum,optionally also with an amount of carrageenan, can be prepared bycombining the mixture of hydrocolloids with water and heating to attemperature of at least 180 degrees Fahrenheit, e.g., from 180 to 200 F.To this hydrogel, other ingredients can be added as desired, before orafter heating, e.g., plasticizer and oil. If desired, oil can be addedin a manner that produces an oil-in-water emulsion, such as afterpreparation of the heated hydrogel, with mixing or agitation to producea discontinuous oil phase within a continuous hydrogel phase.

Certain embodiments of hydrogels (e.g., as a phase of an oil-in-wateremulsion) useful according to the invention can be thermoreversible. Forexample, hydrogels that are prepared from agar as a hydrocolloid, e.g.,in combination with locust bean gum and optionally carrageenan, can beheated to a temperature in the range from 140 to 190 F to produce aliquid sol, and reduced to a temperature of below about 100 F to producea gel.

In general, a moisture barrier can be applied to a surface of a doughproduct (e.g., a shaped dough piece) in an amount and manner to form acoating or film that will adhere to the dough surface during processingand storage, and to perform during baking as a moisture barrier. Such acoating may cover an entire dough piece (i.e., the entire surface), oronly a portion of a surface such as a top surface. Typically, adesirable moisture barrier (at room temperature or storage temperatures)can be in the form of a continuous, uniform coating or film in an amountthat will result in a useful moisture barrier during baking. On theother hand, a moisture barrier can be not so thick to retain too muchmoisture during baking, which can inhibit leavening and produce a moist,heavy baked dough product interior.

Any useful method may be used to apply a moisture barrier to a doughsurface, including known methods of dipping, spraying, waterfallcoating, spinning disk, panning, as well as other coating techniqueseither presently known or developed in the future. A dough piece may befrozen, refrigerated, or at room temperature or higher at a time ofapplying a moisture barrier to a dough surface. Methods of dipping,waterfall, and spraying, may be useful for a dough composition that isrefrigerated. Application of a moisture barrier to a dough surface bydipping or waterfall may be easier if a dough piece is frozen. Formoisture barriers that include a hydrogel, e.g., as a component of anoil-in-water emulsion, the moisture barrier can be efficiently appliedif the hydrogel phase is in a liquefied sol state, which can involveheating the hydrogel to above a melting temperature.

Examples of specific amounts of moisture barrier that may be useful asapplied to a surface of a dough product can depend on factors such asthe composition of the moisture barrier itself, including e.g., the useof a specific type and amount of hydrocolloid, plasticizer, oil, etc.;the type of dough product (e.g., a croissant, biscuit, baguette, breadloaf, etc.); whether the dough product is refrigerated or frozenproofed, partially proofed, or partially baked; leavening properties ofthe dough product such as pre-baked (e.g., raw) volume, desired bakedvolume, the amount of time of a baking cycle during which the doughexperiences expansion, and the particular type of leavening mechanism(e.g., yeast, chemical leavening agent, dough construction (e.g.,lamination)); baking conditions such as baking time and temperature;etc. Generally speaking, in view of these and other factors, coatingweights of a moisture barrier that are in the range from about 1 toabout 25 percent of the weight of dough product, e.g., from about 3 toabout 10 of the weight of the dough product, may be found to be useful.

According to certain specific embodiments of the invention, a coating ofa moisture barrier can be in the form of an oil-in-water emulsion thatincludes a hydrogel as a continuous phase. Such a moisture barrier canbe in the form of a rigid, semi-rigid, or elastic gel at below thesetting temperature of the hydrogel, e.g., at room temperature or at arefrigerated or frozen storage temperature. For such a moisture barrier,a uniform coating that completely covers a dough piece such as a biscuitor croissant, may be useful, at a thickness in the range of 1 to 3millimeters after cooling to room temperature (for a croissant, biscuit,or other similarly sized and shaped dough product).

As described generally above, embodiments of moisture barriers of theinvention, during baking, can retain moisture during a baking cycle forat least a portion of the time during the baking cycle during which adough product experiences expansion. During this time, the moisturebarrier remains at least to some degree hydrated (i.e., retains water)and flexible, to a degree that the moisture barrier can expand alongwith the expanding dough product and prevent or reduce the amount ofmoisture that would otherwise evolve from the dough surface duringbaking. In this way the moisture barrier can improve properties of thebaked dough product, including one or more of crust color and texture(e.g., by reduced cracking or flaking at a crust).

According to certain specific embodiments of the invention, a moisturebarrier can be in the form of a coating or film of a hydrogel or anemulsion that contains a hydrogel, in the gel form, at temperature suchas room temperature or refrigerated or frozen storage temperatures. Whenthe coating, as part of a dough piece, is heated during baking, the gelform of the hydrogel becomes more liquid, e.g., as the hydrogel maytransform from a gel to a sol state. The hydrogel remains in a hydratedand flexible sol state during baking, e.g., at least until maximumexpansion of the dough product. A moisture barrier should not lose allof a contained amount of moisture too early during baking, because lossof hydration may result in one or more of a loss of flexibility and lossof water-barrier properties. A loss of flexibility can cause a driedfilm to become hard and stiff, which will inhibit further expansion ofthe dough being baked, reducing a final baked volume or producing amisshapen appearance. A loss of flexibility of can result in cracking,shredding, flaking, or tearing of dough surface.

A moisture barrier, e.g., hydrogel or emulsion, may stay in contact withthe surface of the dough during the entire baking cycle, or, in certainparticular embodiments of the invention, leavening gas evolving from thedough composition during baking may cause a portion or substantially allof the flexible moisture barrier to form a bubble that surrounds aportion or much of the dough product during baking.

Eventually, a moisture barrier will lose water and become dehydrated,leaving solids at a surface of the baked dough product. According tocertain embodiments of the invention, a moisture barrier can lose a lastamount of water only after a dough piece has experienced full expansionduring baking, at which time the moisture barrier coating may loseflexibility (dry out by losing all water) without any negative effect.The moisture barrier (e.g., hydrogel, oil-in-water emulsion) can dry outto become a thin solid edible film that covers the dough piece. Thecolor of the dried moisture barrier film can result in a desirable bakeddough product color.

The moisture barrier can be used in combination with any type of doughproduct or dough composition. For example, a useful raw doughcomposition may be a raw, unproofed or partially proofed, or partiallybaked, refrigerator or freezer-stable dough that expands (i.e., leavens)during baking. Because many chemically leavened and laminated doughproducts experience expansion during baking, the moisture barrier can beuseful with chemically leavened doughs and laminated doughs. Still,doughs that include yeast as either a flavoring or as a leavening agent(during or before baking), may also be useful according to theinvention.

Dough compositions that may particularly benefit from the moisturebarrier include dough compositions that experience a significant amountof expansion during a baking cycle. For example, these may be raw,non-pre-proofed doughs, e.g., unproofed or partially proofed doughs,which may be capable of being stored either in a refrigerated or frozencondition. These doughs may generally expand during baking by at least100 percent of their pre-baked volume (i.e., achieve a volume that is200 percent of the pre-baked volume.

According to particular embodiments of the invention, greater amounts ofexpansion can also occur during baking certain dough product and doughtypes, e.g., expansion of 100 percent during baking, 150 percent, 200percent (i.e., to three times an unbaked volume), or more. For instance,a dough piece in the form of a raw laminated dough (e.g., croissant) ora raw developed dough may exhibit a raw specific volume in the rangefrom 0.95 to 1.9 cubic centimeters per gram (cc/g), and may be baked toa baked specific volume in the range from 3.5 to 7 cc/g. A dough piecein the form of non-developed raw dough piece (e.g., biscuit), mayexhibit a raw specific volume in the range from 0.95 to 1.4 cubiccentimeters per gram (cc/g), and may be baked to a baked specific volumein the range from 2.8 to 4 cc/g.

Also according to certain embodiments of the invention, a dough productthat includes a moisture barrier as described can be a “freezer-to-oven”dough product that can be stored frozen in an un-proofed orpartially-proofed state, and that can be placed frozen into an oven forbaking to a useful baked volume, without a thawing or proofing step.Generally, such as freezer-to-oven dough product such as a bread orlaminated (e.g., croissant) product may be in the form of a dough piecehaving a raw specific volume in the range from 0.9 to 1.2 cubiccentimeters per gram (cc/g), which may be baked to a baked specificvolume in the range from 3 to 6 cc/g.

In general, a dough product according to the invention can include adough piece that includes a moisture barrier, e.g., as a film orcoating, optionally at a frozen or refrigerated temperature for storage.The dough composition itself can be prepared from starting materialsthat will be understood by those of skill. The dough may includeingredients such as a flour; fat (e.g., a liquid oil or solid fat);leavening agents such as acidic and basic chemical leavening agents oryeast; flavorants; water or other liquid components; and additives. Thedough may be laminated, frozen, refrigerated, or packaged in any form ofpackaging container (e.g., pressurized or non-pressurized). Formulationsof useful unbaked dough compositions such as croissants, breads,biscuits, and other chemically leavened or yeast-leavened doughproducts, are well known to those of skill in the art, and are readilyavailable to the public in commercial cookbooks.

Generally, unbaked dough products suitable for use in the presentinvention can be prepared from usual ingredients known to those of skillin the art, e.g., flour; water; leavening agent; an oil (fat) such asbutter or lard; and other flavorants such as salt. In addition, a doughcomposition may contain sugar, non-fat milk solids, shortening, gums,surfactants, film-forming proteins, among other possible additives. Thedough may further comprise effective amounts of adjuvants such asflavorings, thickeners (e.g., starches and hydrophilic colloids),nutrients (e.g., carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, etc.), antioxidants,antimicrobial agents, eggs and egg solids, acidulants, doughconditioners and enzymes, emulsifiers such as mono- and diglycerides,sodium stearoyl lactylate, vitamins, and the like.

A liquid component such as water, ice, or dairy products such as milk(e.g., condensed milk, non-fat milk, etc.), can be used as desired, inan amount useful for a particular type of dough.

A dough composition can be caused to expand (leaven) by any leaveningmechanism, such as by one or more of the effects of: entrapped gas suchas entrapped carbon dioxide, entrapped oxygen, or both; a laminateddough structure; by action of chemical leavening agents; or by action ofa biological agent such as a yeast. Thus, a leavening agent may be anentrapped gas such as layers or cells (bubbles) that contain carbondioxide, water vapor, or oxygen, etc.; any type of yeast (e.g., cakeyeast, cream yeast, dry yeast, etc.); or a chemical leavening system,e.g., containing a basic chemical leavening agent and an acidic chemicalleavening agent that react to form a leavening gas such as carbondioxide.

Examples of acidic chemical leavening agents are generally known in thedough and bread-making arts, with examples including sodium aluminumphosphate (SALP), sodium acid pyrophosphate (SAPP), monosodiumphosphate, monocalcium phosphate monohydrate (MCP), anhydrousmonocalcium phosphate (AMCP), dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCPD),glucono-delta-lactone (GDL), as well as a variety of others. Optionally,an acidic chemical leavening agent for use according to the invention,can be encapsulated.

Examples of basic chemical leavening agents include many that aregenerally known in the dough and baking arts, such as soda, i.e., sodiumbicarbonate (NaHCO₃), potassium bicarbonate (KHCO₃), ammoniumbicarbonate (NH₄HCO₃), etc. A basic chemical leavening agent may also beencapsulated, if desired.

Non-fat milk solids that can be used in the compositions of thisinvention are the solids of skim milk and include proteins, mineralmatter and milk sugar. Other proteins such as casein, sodium caseinate,calcium caseinate, modified casein, sweet dairy whey, modified whey, andwhey protein concentrate can also be used in these doughs.

Dry or liquid flavoring agents, fruit and vegetables may also be addedto the formulation. These include mustard, potatoes, anchovies, capers,olives, bacon, cocoa, vanilla, chocolate, butter flavor, coconut,peppermint, pineapple, cherry, nuts, spices, salts, poppy or sesameseeds, onion, garlic, cheese, tomatoes, scallions, oat bran, jalapenopeppers, cinnamon, raisins, chocolate chips, apples, berries, bananas,walnuts, lemon and flavor enhancers, among others.

Acidulants commonly added to foods include lactic acid, citric acid,tartaric acid, malic acid, acetic acid, phosphoric acid, andhydrochloric acid.

Dough conditioners commonly added to dough products include potassiumsorbate, L-cysteine hydrochloride, mono- and diglycerides, polysorbates,sodium bisulfite, sodium stearoyl lactylate, ascorbic acid anddiacetyltartaric acid esters of mono- and di-glycerides (DATEM). Theseconditioners serve to add functionality, reduce mix times and providesoftness to the doughs to which they are added.

Particular embodiments of the invention relate to laminated doughproducts, such as croissants. Dough composition useful to produce alaminated dough product are known, and can include ingredients asdescribed above. Exemplary formulations of a laminated dough product canbe prepared by combining ingredients of a dough composition within theranges listed below, and then laminating the dough with fat within thelisted range based on the total weight of the laminated dough piece(i.e., the combined weight of the layers of laminated dough compositionand fat).

Ingredient Weight percent of total dough composition Flour 42 to 50Water 28 to 34 Fat (mixed into the 4 to 8 dough composition) Yeast 2 to4 Sugar 2 to 4 Salt 0.5 to 1.5 weight percent of total laminated doughpiece* Fat 20 to 29 (*as fat layers inserted by lamination betweenlayers of dough, the amount being based on total weight of the doughpiece, including weight of the dough layers plus the weight of the fatlayers)

Particular processing steps are known and can be conventional in nature,such as mixing techniques and times, temperatures, and speeds;laminating techniques and other processing steps such as rounding,cutting, shaping, sizing, folding, filling, etc.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described herein. Variationson the exemplary embodiments will become apparent to those of skill inthe relevant arts upon reading this description. The inventors expectthose of skill to use such variations as appropriate, and intend for theinvention to be practiced otherwise than specifically described herein.Accordingly, the invention includes all modifications and equivalents ofthe subject matter recited in the claims as permitted by applicable law.Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in allpossible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unlessotherwise indicated.

A dough composition was prepared according to the following formulation(as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,579,554).

Ingredient Weight % Flour 46.00 Water 33.66 Yeast 2.90 Margarine 8.10Sugar 3.75 Vital wheat gluten 3.30 Salt 0.95 Pectin 0.75 Guar gum 0.30Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate 0.18 DATEM 0.11 Ascorbic acid 0.003

4440 grams of dough composition was combined with 1600 grams ofmargarine in a lamination process, and the laminated dough was cut androlled into croissants.

A hydrogel was prepared and combined with oil to prepare a moisturebarrier that was in the form of an oil-in-water emulsion, according tothe following ingredients and method.

A hydrogel was formed:

Ingredient Grams Water 250 Maltilol 22.5 Locust bean gum 1 Agaroid RS575 (agar/carrageenan) 1 Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate 2.5 Acetylated cornstarch 3.75 Dextrose 12.5

The hydrogel was combined with 39 grams of butter to produce anemulsion. The overall preparation was carried out according to thefollowing:

-   -   1. Preblend dry ingredients to uniformity.    -   2. Place water and in pan on stovetop and blend until Maltilol        is solubilized in water.    -   3. Slowly disperse dry blend into Maltilol solution.    -   4. Apply high shear mixing (bench scale high shear impeller)        until all dry preblend is uniformly incorporated. Apply heat and        mix under high shear until a temperature of 190 F is reached.    -   5. Heat butter until liquid and add liquid butter under high        shear to the heated blend. Mix until butter is uniformly        emulsified, and maintain at a temperature of from 180 to 195        degrees F.        Application of Barrier Material to Raw Croissant

The composition was applied when heated, at an amount of from 5 to 15percent by weight of the weight of the dough piece, e.g., 10 grams (±2grams) for a 100 g raw dough croissant. Upon application, thecomposition formed a gel. The dough with composition was then frozen andstored at −10° F.

The croissants were tested for frozen storage stability by exposing to21 freeze-thaw cycles between 0 degrees and 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Whenbaked, the croissants that included the moisture barrier exhibited bakedproperties that were more desirable in comparison to similar croissantsthat did not include the moisture barrier, e.g., improved color andsurface appearance, including a reduced degree of surface tearing andshredding for the coated croissants.

1. A method of preparing a dough composition, the method comprisingproviding a dough piece, applying moisture barrier to a surface of thedough piece, the moisture barrier comprising a hydrogel that includeshydrocolloid and water, and baking the dough piece to cause the doughpiece to expand, wherein the moisture barrier remains hydrated duringbaking at least until the dough piece achieves a maximum volume duringbaking.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the dough composition isselected from the group consisting of: a raw unproofed doughcomposition, a partially- proofed dough composition, and apartially-baked dough composition.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein thehydrocolloid is selected from the group consisting of agar, locust beangum, and combinations thereof.
 4. The method of claim 3 wherein thehydrogel comprises carrageen.
 5. The method of claim 1 comprising bakingthe dough piece at a baking temperature in the range from 250 to 400degrees Fahrenheit.